BRADFORD CITY 0 SCUNTHORPE UNITED 0

at the Northern Commercials Stadium
Kick Off: 3.00pm
Scunthorpe United 0
Bradford City 0
Sky Bet League One
Monday 26 December 2016

Attendance: 21,874 (1,591 visitors)

The Bantams fully played their part in an entertaining, yet goalless, Boxing Day encounter with league leaders Scunthorpe United at the Northern Commercials Stadium.

In front of the biggest crowd of the season at Valley Parade, City dominated the first period against Scunthorpe but a resilient table-toppers stood firm under the pressure.

Nathaniel Knight-Percival tested Scunthorpe 'keeper Luke Daniels early on with a header from a set-piece while the recalled Tony McMahon and Mark Marshall both fired narrowly wide from free-kicks just outside the box.

Filipe Morais, another player brought back into the side by City boss Stuart McCall, also saw an effort pushed away by Daniels roughly ten minutes from the break.

Morais went closer towards the start of the second half but his angled shot from deep inside the box was crucially blocked behind via a diving tackle from Iron centre half Charlie Goode.

After a positive period for the Bantams, Scunthorpe slowly imposed themselves more on the festive contest following the restart.

Former Bantam Josh Morris - who had arguably Scunthorpe's best opening in the first half with a strike from distance held by Colin Doyle - tested the City shot-stopper again after the break with a curling free-kick from outside the box.

Morris was involved once more midway through the second period when he raced onto Paddy Madden's through-ball but the winger fired over from the edge of the box.

As both teams looked for a possible winner later in the half, Timothee Dieng headed straight at Daniels from a James Meredith cross while Tom Hopper fired wide on the stretch at the other end from Madden's ball into the middle.

The Bantams tried to force a vital breakthrough in the game's closing stages but Scunthorpe stood firm to ensure the points were shared.

FT: Bradford City 0 Scunthorpe United 0

90+3min: Toffolo's ball forward finds Hopper in space just inside the box but a recovering Vincelot does just enough to force the striker to fire comfortably wide of Doyle's near post.

90min: SUB - Scunthorpe bring on Duane Holmes for Adelakun.

90min: There will be three minutes of time added on at the end of the match.

89min: SUB - Scunthorpe bring on Richie Smallwood for Madden.

84min: SUB - Scunthorpe bring on Sam Mantom for Morris.

83min: Meredith's searching cross drops into the path of McNulty over by the far side but the striker's bouncing effort into the ground is easily gathered up by Daniels.

78min: As Scunthorpe break forward on the counter-attack, Madden crosses into the middle for Hopper but the stretching striker can only touch the ball wide of the far post by a couple of yards.

77min: Meredith's cross into the box picks out Dieng but the Frenchman's header is straight at Daniels.

74min: Madden fires forwards with a fierce drive from outside the box but his effort from an angle flashes comfortably wide of Doyle's far post.

73min: SUB - The Bantams bring on Marc McNulty for Morais.

72min: Stretching back to reach Meredith's cross, Hanson volleys comfortably over with an effort from inside the box.

68min: City are nearly caught out when Morris finds himself in behind their defensive line. Madden's through-ball is left by Hopper, who is in an offside position, but an alert Morris races onto the pass to find himself in with a sight of Doyle's goal. Morris fires early from roughly the edge of the box but his effort goes over the bar.

62min: Adelakun's snap-shot on the half-volley from a wide position outside the box sails comfortably over the bar.

62min: Morris gets the better of Vincelot inside the box but the midfielder's drive across the box is blocked out by Knight-Percival with Tom Hopper lurking behind.

61min: Morris tries his luck from distance on the half-volley, the effort deflects up off the back of Morais and comfortably into the arms of Doyle.

60min: Knight-Percival sends a downward header wide of the far post following Morais' delivery from the resulting corner.

60min: Law races to keep the ball in place by the byline. He just gets there in time and his first time cross into the six yard box has to be put behind by Goode with Hanson looking for a potential tap in behind him.

57min: Hakeeb Adelakun fires for goal following Harry Toffolo's low ball into the box but the effort is bravely charged down by Meredith.

56min: YELLOW CARD - Hanson is cautioned after giving a foul away inside Scunthorpe's penalty area, referee Mr Handley indicating the booking was for an accumulation of fouls in the game.

55min: YELLOW CARD - Bishop is booked for a high foot on Hanson as the pair contested the ball roughly halfway into Scunthorpe's half of the pitch.

53min: Morris tries to beat Doyle at his near post with a curling free-kick from outside the box but the City shot-stopper does well to get down low to his right to cling on.

46min: City go close at the start of the second period! Meredith's low cross into the middle finds Timothee Dieng. The Frenchman's shot from inside the box is charged down but the ball eventually breaks out to Morais and his effort from a tight angle is blocked behind from close range via a sliding tackle from Goode.

46min: Scunthorpe restart the match.

HT: Bradford City 0 Scunthorpe United 0

45min: There will be two minutes of time added on at the end of the first period.

41min: Morais' in-field pass brilliantly finds the forward run of Josh Cullen into the Scunthorpe penalty area. Cullen looks to curl the ball inviting into the middle but the cross takes a touch off Neal Bishop, helping the delivery bounce through to Daniels as a result.

35min: YELLOW CARD - Vincelot is booked for catching Madden with a late tackle as the striker looked to spin clear just inside Scunthorpe's half of the pitch.

34min: Meredith's low cross into the box eventually drops into the path of Morais and the winger's left-footed snap-shot is pushed out by Daniels.

33min: Firing his free-kick through the wall, McMahon goes inches wide with a low effort narrowly past the post direct from a set-piece just outside the box.

26min: Vincelot is back on the pitch now, complete with his numberless 'blood' shirt.

25min: City are temporarily down to ten men as Vincelot remains off the pitch receiving treatment for his blow to the head. Fellow Frenchman Timothee Dieng has dropped back into defence for the time being.

25min: With Daniels rooted to the spot, Marshall fires narrowly wide with the resulting free-kick.

24min: YELLOW CARD - Madden is booked for his foul on Vincelot, with the French defender off the pitch at the moment receiving treatment for the injury.

23min: Filipe Morais fizzes over an inviting centre into the middle but Murray Wallace is crucially on hand to head clear from inside the six yard box. Play is stopped shortly afterwards as City are awarded a free-kick just outside the box for a high foot on Romain Vincelot by Paddy Madden.

20min: James Meredith releases Marshall into space down City's left flank on a swift attack forward. Marshall looks to fire the ball across goal from a wide position but his effort is deflected past Daniels' near post off Charlie Goode.

18min: Mark Marshall finds Nicky Law in the box following a short corner routine. Law turns and fires the ball goalwards but his toe-poke across goal is held by Daniels.

11min: Tony McMahon's free-kick from wide into the box is met by the well-timed run of Nathaniel Knight-Percival but the defender's unchallenged header is saved low to his right by Luke Daniels.

7min: Josh Morris takes aim from outside the area but his low drive is well held at the first attempt by Colin Doyle.

0min: The Bantams kick off the match. City will attack towards the T L Dallas Stand end in the first period.